High Sierra Topix

Awesome trip report, and beautiful area. Hope I can make it to the meetup this year it has been a few years since I have been to one and would be great to see you and everyone!

Bad skier travels,
through terrain of my best dreams.
Is he really bad?

Harlen, just amazing! I will have to read your text and look at the marvelous photos again . . . and again. This really makes me wish I'd learned to ski to have undertaken winter trips in the Sierra 20 years ago. I loved seeing Dusy in the winter. In certain ways it looked easier to get around with all it covered in snow than in the summer when one has to zig-zag through and around the rocks. I'm humbled to have been the inspiration for this magical, marvelous trip.

YouHaiku:

Bad skier travels,
through terrain of my best dreams.
Is he really bad?

....

He is worse than that
The snow surface cries to him:
"Stay off! Please go home."

I appreciate your comment Sam, but please guide me to a cheap downhill resort. I am embarrasing myself.

Lawrence, you deserve all my gratitude for your inspiration. Thanks again, Ian.

The holy grail of a ski tour! Wow Harlen, as if getting to the trailhead isn't hard enough. The photos are awesome, I enjoyed every one of them. Years back I went over to Hurd on some "hybrid" skis when everything was covered in snow, but not that much snow. Sure glad that creek didn't do more damage. Thanks for the amazing TR!

Ian; one word. Stud! Thx for the great report to an area only visited by me in the non-white season. A real different experience gliding over the rocks and boulders underneath. Spectacular! Cheers!

Errata:

I omitted a crucial dimention in my ski's shape:

Gear for this trip was minimal:

-HST "Paul Skis": 180cm, metal-edged, 88-0-78 shaped, with Voile 3-pin bindings.

No, the middle of my skis are not 0 mm. They are not here, but their middle width must be 60, or maybe 70 mm. "What are they Paul?" Anyway, they are a nice shape, that should allow for both a nice, traveling glide, and some downhill control. I get only the former half.

Dusy under snow looks beautiful, I need to go back and read this again with a map to place your touring, but I recognize the view looking up at Knapsack.

this give me hope as a terrible skier "Dangerously bad downhill, I am also a pretty poor skier in the flats, and can sometimes fall over for no apparent reason while standing still.The purpose behind this litany of self-abuse is to point out to those among you who have expressed interest in the snowy Sierra, that you absolutely do not have to be an expert skier to do it. You only need to be an expert at keeping yourself warm, and not getting lost"

thanks for the great report and the great photos

I guess the snow must have softened in the warm weather and couldn't hold your weight by the creek.

I'm glad that you made it through the storm safely.

Did you have to change anything about your ski trips after your broken ankle?

Hey Tomba,
You know, on the one hand, I learned that I should just lock the heels down when using the AT tech bindings downhill, which would allow the skis to release if I/ when I, crash again... but then something Gogd says about 3-pin bindings being the very safest arrangement made me decide to use that set-up on this, my first ski trip of the year. ??? I am still uncertain which method is safest; though I am sure of one thing--I do not want to have to attempt dragging myself out on my elbows, or hopping on one leg! In this trip's soft snow surface, that would have been killing hard work!

Do you have a learned (Phd) opinion Tomas? I am woefully lacking in experienced ski mentors-- I spent my youth in the ocean.

As for the storm, I had a plan to turn my tarp tent into a sort quasi-bivy sack, by just rolling up in it, had it blown apart. That would've worked out fine.